


Faust Meetings

by cyanideinsomnia



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: First Meetings, Gen, Lucio (The Arcana) Being A Dick, Lucio (The Arcana) Is A Little Shit, Red Plague (The Arcana), Snakes, Talking Animals, it's a magic animal, it's magic and animals, snake????????!?!?, two of his favorite things
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2020-06-01
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:55:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24497539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cyanideinsomnia/pseuds/cyanideinsomnia
Summary: In an instant the Count’s demeanor completely changed, eyes wide and almost child-like, gazing at the creature in his bed with unabashed wonder and admiration.“Is this your familiar?”
Comments: 4
Kudos: 44





	Faust Meetings

**Author's Note:**

> get it, first meetings but it's faust

“The traveling magician Asra. So nice of you to _ finally _ join us. Your friend was starting to get worried.”

Asra was not normally a very vio lent person, but he found himself restraining the urge to smack that smug, self-satisfied grin off the Count’s ashen lips. Instead he forced a stiff, polite smile of his own.

“Yes, well, as I told  _ him _ ,” He began, eyeing his ailing adversary from the safety of the door. “I don’t think I have anything to worry about, not from  _ you _ .”

Lucio narrowed his eyes, bloodshot from the Plague, a murderer’s steel still very much visible in them despite his current place in his bed, hunched up in the crimson covers like a geezer. The grin changed into more of a snarl. 

“And yet you’re cowering by my door.” He snorted. “Come closer, Asra. I can’t stand shouting across the room, it’s annoying. Unless you’re too  _ frightened. _ ”

“I’m not scared of you, I just don’t see why I have to come check in with you personally.”

The magician scowled and reluctantly approached the bed regardless, coming to a stop just outside of arm’s reach. He looked even worse from here, hints of bones poking up in sallow skin, traces of blood at the corners of his eyes, dotting a handkerchief gripped in his right hand.

He wondered if he would indeed throw his medicine at him, if he had any.

The Count scoffed. “It’s my Palace, my cure, my plans. You should show more respect, you know. I could have you working on my cure from the dungeons.”

“Or the Arena?”

“The Scourge has his part to play, don’t worry your little dandelion head.”

Asra’s shoulders hiked, a renewed burst of anger rising up inside him, much harder to quell. He swung an arm forward in an accusatory point - abruptly dislodging poor Faust from her place inside his sleeve, the little serpent dropping to the bed next to Lucio's knees with a heavy  _ plop  _ and a mental spike of confusion.  


_ Why?? _

In an instant the Count’s demeanor completely changed, eyes wide and almost child-like, gazing at the creature in his bed with unabashed wonder and admiration. 

“Is this your familiar?” He immediately extended his golden hand out to her, letting her flick her tongue at the glowing metal, going against the expectations of her master by making no move to grab her. “It’s beautiful.”

“Yes, but--”

After a moment of deliberation, Faust calmly rested her head in his palm, eliciting a barely muffled squeak of glee. Asra sensed both pride and curiosity from her, and no ill intentions from her new perch - he was completely taken in by her, mesmerized as she slowly began to climb up onto his arm, coiling around it with an easy familiarity like she belonged there.

_ Friend!  _

“Faust, no,” Asra began, but she ignored him in favor of sidling up onto Lucio’s shoulders, draping across his neck like a lavender scarf, looking very pleased with herself.

They both looked very happy. His hold on the ire from earlier faltered beneath the contentment in Faust’s eyes. He just had to trust she knew what she was doing, and he knew she could take care of herself. 

_ Warm. _ Was her verdict, a soft purr in his mind.

That explained it. She was taking advantage of his fever.

“Well, it seems she likes you. For now.” The magician sighed, but he found himself smiling at how the bastard seemed genuinely pleased by this.

“Of course she does. I have a way with animals.” He preened, or as well as he could without jostling his passenger too much. His flesh hand reached up towards her, then hesitated. “Is she okay with being touched? Can I pet her?”

The great Count Lucio, asking him for permission. Asra wasn’t sure how to feel about that. “Well, Faust? What do you think?”

_ Gonna bite. _ She said impishly.

“She says it’s not a good idea,” He said finally, feeling merciful.

Lucio’s hand went back down without protest, bloodshot eyes still glittering with unbridled joy. “You can talk to her? Of course you can, she’s your familiar. That’s part of the whole thing. What’s it like? I bet she sounds adorable.”

_ Cute!  _

Before Asra could answer, the ailing Count was suddenly moving, starting to haul himself up out of bed, taking care not to move his upper body too much. He didn’t bother asking if he should help, just like Lucio didn’t bother asking for help. Faust shifted slightly on her perch, but didn’t seem bothered enough to abandon ship.

He steadied himself on one of the posters of his bed, standing there for several seconds, presumably gathering his strength, before looking back towards the magician. His eyes were even brighter, if it was possible, grabbing one of Asra’s hands with his golden one and starting towards the door with a clear sense of purpose.

“Come with me, I want both of you to meet my snakes,” He was saying. “They’re not small and cute like her, but you’ll love them.”

Considering he still had Faust, he just allowed himself to be led. His grip was surprisingly strong despite the tremor in his hands, how he had to occasionally stop to catch his breath, right hand on the wall to support his weight. 

He looked like he was about to collapse at any moment, and Asra wondered who he was supposed to call if that happened. There was an odd shortage of attendants flocking him - in fact, for the most part they were alone as they traversed the halls, down spiraling staircases, somewhere further down in the Palace.

Oh, if he didn’t need his resources.. all it would take was one push..

A flash of guilt at the thought rippled through him as Lucio turned back towards him, beaming proudly, genuinely happy to show him his pets. “Here we are~ feel free to explore, everyone’s been fed so they shouldn’t give you much trouble.”

They were in another wing, warmer than the others, the scent of dirt and foliage wafting from the nearest room. He realized each room was its own separate enclosure, likely hosting any number of exotic reptiles. 

The Count finally let go of his hand in order to offer it up to Faust, who immediately slithered onto it, letting him hold her out to her master’s waiting arms. Her scales were a bit slimy as she coiled around his own neck.

_ Sweaty goat.  _ She giggled.

“Oh, this one’s my favorite - she was very expensive, very hard to find,” Despite the clear pain in his steps, Lucio made his way towards one of the rooms, disappearing inside with a quick expectant glance over one shoulder.

Asra hesitated, realizing that he no longer had a reason to stay by the Count now that his familiar was back in her proper place. But his curiosity had been piqued, and he couldn’t sense any outward suffering or discontent from the occupants along the hallway. They seemed to be well taken care of, here, something he hadn’t expected considering the man’s cruelty.

Given his excitement about Faust and the wing, he supposed he was just cruel to people.

“--and they keep telling me not to visit her, because the smell of blood might set her off, but I don’t think she’s ever tasted human blood so it’s fine.”

He found Lucio comfortably sprawled on a small bench next to what appeared to be a huge pit, filled with muggy swamp water and the glimmer of white scales. It didn’t seem to bother him much that he hadn’t been listening.

_ Big friend!  _ Faust’s voice chirped.

As if summoned, a large white serpentine head slowly poked out of the water, long tongue flicking towards her audience, bright crimson eyes glittering like gemstones in the warm lighting of her enclosure. Asra wasn’t sure how big she was, but her head had to be the length of his forearm at least.

“She’s.. very big.” Was all he could think to say, settling next to Lucio on the bench.

For a brief moment he allowed himself to relax, simply watching the giant beast haul herself up onto the rocks next to her pit, far enough away from her observers that there was little danger, but close enough that he felt he could get up and touch her if he wanted.

He could sense Faust’s consideration of doing so in his stead, and placed a hand on her scales just in case. “What’s her name?”

The Count startled, as if knocked out of a trance. He thought he saw a brief flash of pain on his face, one that had nothing to do with his affliction, something that was much older and more carefully guarded.

“... Morga.”

“Someone you knew?”

A wry chuckle. “Something like that.”

An awkward sort of silence fell over the snake’s enclosure, eventually broken by Lucio clearing his throat, which swiftly turned into a short coughing fit. 

Morga’s head shifted towards him, tongue flicking out to catch the scent of fresh blood, but otherwise made no move for him, clearly too busy making herself comfortable on the rocks for basking. Asra slid a little further away from him on the bench, not quite far enough he would notice, although he was still staring at his pet.

“Did you know they can eat  _ jaguars _ ?”

The large maw opened in a yawn before settling back on her rock, and he could very easily picture some helpless large cat disappearing down her gullet.

“Can you imagine if she was _my_ familiar? I could ride her into battle.” The Count gave a wistful sigh, then turned his attention back to the magician, eyes gleaming. “Can you talk to all animals, or just your snake-- Faust, was it?”

“Just Faust.”

“Damn. That’d be a cool power to have. Like I know animals love me, but I’d like to  _ know.  _ From their own mouths. You know?”

“What, not enough adoration from your  _ people _ to tide you over?”

Lucio scoffed, but infuriatingly there was still no malice in it. Almost playful, like he already considered him a friend. “Tsk, the day I have  _ enough _ adoration is the day I’m dead and buried. And even then I’m expecting a grand procession of mourners. Maybe Noddy throwing herself into my grave in a fit of abject sorrow.”

Asra supposed he’d have enough time to think about this, given how close that day was probably coming. He couldn’t picture the Countess doing much more than tossing a handkerchief his way, though.

“What does Faust think about me?” He asked suddenly, looking directly at her as if expecting to be able to hear her answer himself.

She seemed content to simply flick her tongue at him instead.

“You’re warm,” Asra supplied, uncertainly. “Kind of sweaty.”

Lucio laughed. “Oh, good, the fever broke.”

With a soft groan the other man was on his feet again, unsteady but in no risk of falling, casting a glance towards the massive albino serpent before heading towards the door. 

“Come, there’s so much more I can show you. We don’t even have to stick with the reptile wing.”


End file.
